To Love Even More
by animequeen100
Summary: Sasuke had learned to love and Sakura had learned to love again. Together with their four beautiful children, they're learning to love even more. Sequel to "To Love and to Love Again".
1. Ch 1: Welcome Home

**To Love Even More**

 **Chapter One: Welcome Home**

 **AUTHORS NOTE: I AM ALIVE! More authors note at the bottom, I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY THIS!**

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha didn't tire easily. His stamina and endurance were enviable. It took quite a bit to drain him physically unless he was emotionally exhausted, which didn't help matters. "Work" kept him busy, that's for sure.

The latest mission he and Naruto had completed wasn't exactly difficult, but it did require long hours of traveling, most of which consisted of endless complaining.

" _So how'd it go?" Kakashi asked via monitor on the plane. The former CIA Commander had taken a more targeted role in the Agency as Captain of the ANBU Special Forces._

 _His responsibilities included guiding and monitoring their elite teams of Special Agents and their missions, primarily Team 7 for a variety of reasons. Kakashi's view of Sasuke was blocked by a mop of blonde hair and blue eye that popped up on the monitor._

" _He's as moody as ever!" Naruto whined. "Normally I'd say that's just how he is, but even I'll admit that these recon missions are really piling on. What gives?"_

 _These types of missions meant lots of travel and prolonged periods away from Hinata and Sakura and the kids._

" _There's nothing I can do anymore about the types of missions you're given," Kakashi replied as he watched Naruto get pulled back into his seat by a clearly irritated Sasuke. "Tsunade calls the shots now, and she wants Team 7 on these missions not only for the task at hand, but to assess your capabilities as a team in all situations. This is still a probationary period for us after all."_

 _Naruto huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Team 7 isn't complete without Sakura and I don't see Tsunade getting huffy without her on this mission. If anything, she'd make him a lot more fun to be around," he said pointing his thumb at Sasuke._

 _Before the Uchiha could reply, Kakashi fixed Naruto with a pointed stare. "She will assume her work as a field agent when the time calls for it, and not a moment sooner, or would you like to bring that up with Tsunade?"_

 _Naruto swallowed at the thought, even as hostile waves of energy reached him from his simmering teammate. He glanced at Sasuke and was on the receiving end of a full on Uchiha level glare and looked back at the screen to see Kakashi's frighteningly level gaze._

 _Sometimes Naruto failed to keep in perspective just how much of a CIA princess Sakura was. She was Tsunade's apprentice, Kakashi's daughter and Sasuke's wife._

 _Not to mention she was one of the smartest and strongest women he had ever know. Literally the strongest woman for sure. No one would ever forget the infamously demolished punching bag incident at Lee's dojo._

" _I'm just saying she's still a part of team 7! What's the point of team building missions without the whole team? Hinata has her own squad too but they were on hiatus until she could go back. Granny couldn't give our team the same courtesy?"_

" _Courtesy was allowing Sasuke to live," Kakashi said plainly. "That's going to carry a lot of weight in how she goes about assigning your missions and neither of you two have any room to complain."_

" _The mission went without incident," Sasuke finally said. Naruto leaned back in his seat, still displeased about all the travel they had been doing. "We'll debrief in about an hour."_

" _Very well," Kakashi replied, noting the slight edge to his tone. Son-in-law or not, it still irked Kakashi to know that Sasuke went home to Sakura at the end of long missions._

 _It was irrational, and he'll readily admit it too, but no father ever wanted to think about how Sasuke might choose to de-stress upon arriving home. You'd think after four grandchildren he'd get over it._

" _Have they been into the base today?" Naruto asked. When they went on missions, communication with their family was non-existent for multiple reasons. Agents always had to keep a level head and worrying about their families was distraction they weren't allowed to have, no matter what the mission._

 _The families of Field Agents never knew when their loved ones would return. It sucked majorly._

" _Sakura was here and worked in the lab, but went home a few hours ago. The children spent the day with your parents," he said to Sasuke before turning to Naruto. "Hinata was training with her team, with Minato in tow. Since Neji and Tenten were here Minato spent the day with his cousins."_

 _Naruto leaned back and grinned, thinking of his little son back home. He was a handful alright, and he stood out from his Hyuga cousins in almost every way. Naruto couldn't have been happier, but it was a double-edged sword when he missed Hinata and Minato like crazy while he was away._

" _What about their training?" Sasuke asked._

" _Basic self-defense for now," Kakashi answered. "We felt that Sora and Suki would benefit by joining the other children in Lee's new course. It's never too early for team building and without you there to aid in the Sharingan aspect, they may as well use that time in the class."_

 _A simple nod of his head was the only response Sasuke gave._

 _Kakashi looked at his two Agents with some empathy. Even he had to admit that Tsunade was really laying the missions on thick, but no one had any say otherwise. "Why don't we just de-brief tomorrow morning at the base," he suggested, gaining some reaction from them. "I'd rather not handle the two of you after another hour on the plane. Go home and get some rest."_

 _He didn't wait for a reply before hanging up on his forever grateful Agents._

And now he was finally home. Sasuke couldn't wait to crawl into bed and hold his wife close as he succumbed to sleep. Just thinking about her waiting for him already brought comfort to his heart.

He entered quietly, resetting the security system and sweeping through the house for other abnormalities, as was his routine. He went into the kitchen for a glass of water. He grabbed a glass before heading to the fridge. He smirked at the new drawings that practically covered the entire surface of the front. Most were drawn by Sora, but colored in by Suki, as assumed by the various shades of pink that didn't make sense.

He opened the fridge to find a large container of what he knew was his wife's famous beef and tomato stir-fry leftovers next to various tubs of baby food. Though it was late, and he knew better than to snack at this hour, Sasuke still took one cold stir-fried tomato and popped it into his mouth, savoring the acidic flavor of his most favored fruit.

His entire family was addicted, except for Sakura. She had lost her tomato cravings since giving birth to the twins. He didn't mind, it just meant more for the rest of them.

He used the downstairs bathroom to shower so he wouldn't wake her up, letting the hot water soothe away any tension that lingered in his body. He toweled off and dressed in sweat pants before heading upstairs.

He walked to the twin's room, opening the door and peering inside. The two cribs housed his sleeping babies.

Shouhei was sprawled out on his back, hand clutching his favorite plush toy and his pacifier lying next to his face. Saiyuri was also on her back, arms loosely wrapped around her plush toy. The babies had peaceful expressions, and Sasuke left the room quickly, not wanting to disturb them.

He checked on Sora and Suki next. His older children preferred to share a room for now, even though they had the option to have their own. Their bond was stronger than it had ever been, and their parents had agreed to the arrangement, sensing that it may have been a repercussion of past events of not wanting to be alone. After seeing that they both were asleep and well, he darted to his room.

His earlier fatigue seemed to slip out of his body entirely, replaced with the hum of anticipation. This last mission took an entire week, and he was desperate to be home after only two days of it. He had gotten used to having his wife next to him as he slept.

He entered their bedroom and could make out her figure under the covers. Moonlight silhouetted her form, drawing him in. Sasuke slipped into bed, arm outstretched to pull her against his chest, when the bed suddenly shifted and he found himself pinned against the mattress with his wife on top of him, arms trapped by hers.

He raised a brow at her flushed face. "Is this how you're going to welcome me home from now on?"

Dr. Sakura Haruno-Uchiha glared down at her husband as she tried to control her breathing. She loosened her grip on him and simply slumped down against his chest, hiding in embarrassment.

"Sorry," she mumbled before meeting his eyes. "Welcome home."

She lifted herself enough to find his lips in a sweet kiss, grinning when his hands slid along her thighs and grasped her hips.

"You've got to control those reflexes," he drawled, eyes trailing over her in adoration. She was wearing a loose-fitting t-shirt, and his earlier exploration of her hips told him that was _all_ she was wearing.

He squeezed her hips suddenly, catching her off guard just enough for him to flip them over so she was beneath him.

Sakura squirmed under his grip. She did not enjoy feeling trapped, having had enough of that sensation in her lifetime. It was why she was adamant in training herself to be alert, even when asleep. Her training was going exceptionally well with all her various instructors.

"You've got to quit sneaking up on me," she huffed, still trying to escape his grasp. He wouldn't budge.

"It's not sneaking when I'm entering _our_ bed in _our_ home," he reminded. "Who else could it possibly be?"

"One of the kids might have had a nightmare," she stubbornly replied before wishing she didn't. She would never tackle the children and he knew it.

He could sense that something was bothering her and was determined to get to the bottom of it. "You knew I wasn't one of the kids, but didn't know if it was me. Who else could it have been?"

She wouldn't look him in the eye, but knew he wouldn't let her go without an answer of some kind.

"I know Kabuto's dead," she winced when he unintentionally tightened his grip on her wrists at the mere mention of his name. "But sometimes I still have dreams…nightmares of him."

She heard his breath still at her admission and chuckled lightly. "It's stupid, I know. It's been so long since all that happened. But yeah, I might be trying to compensate for past mistakes…or so Ibiki tells me…" she mumbled at the end.

She was referring to her own abduction of course. Being held captive by Kabuto and knowing that her children were also taken from her, never knowing if she was going to make it out alive…Sakura never wanted to feel that helpless ever again. She agreed to undergo a psych evaluation considering all the revelations she learned about her family. It was an overwhelming load to adjust to, much of which occurred with the added stress of pregnancy at the time.

Tsunade wanted to make sure she would be able to handle the pressure of her new life. PTSD was a huge concern for not only Sakura, but the children as well. The things they witnessed would easily overcome the average person. They took no chances with their family.

It had been an interesting process though. Inoichi Yamanaka from the interrogation department knew Sakura from her childhood, and there were times when he could have sworn there was an alter ego hidden deep within her mind. Sakura heard him mutter something about split personality disorder before catching her raised eyebrow and keeping quiet.

She poured whatever energy she had into her CIA training, homing in her reflexes and alertness until both were razor sharp. She had a tough time turning them off, hence jumping her husband in the middle of the night when he came home from a mission.

"Is it only when I'm gone for a mission?"

Again, she refused to meet his eyes. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "Is it?"

She struggled for words. "It shouldn't be. I know you have to go away a lot, and I know we're safe at home, but when I don't have you here I still feel like someone can just break in and—"

She closed her eyes, not wanting to even dwell on what could happen again. Gathering her wits, she looked up and saw the red of his eyes blazing in the night. Those beautiful but deadly eyes of his were exactly why she was fearful.

"I will never let anyone come near you again," he growled.

"It's not me I'm worried about," she breathed. "Kabuto didn't just want me, he wanted the Sharingan. Our babies, I'm just afraid I can't protect them alone."

The Uchiha Family Kekkei Genkai was still very much a coveted ability to those with dark purposes. Now a rare trait from a family that has only a handful of members, it would always be a fear of hers that someone would seek to obtain it again in the most horrific way.

Her four children were always going to be at risk.

Sasuke's hand caressed the side of her face. "I'll never let anything happen to our family again. I can't escape these missions, but you're no pushover when it comes to our kids," he added with a hint of pride in his tone.

It still amazed him at just how much of an opponent Sakura was on the physical front. Her strength truly was noteworthy, completely catching you of guard since the first thing an enemy would do is underestimate her, always giving her the advantage of surprise.

"I want to believe so, I really do."

His hand caressed her cheek lovingly. "Then believe it."

He rested his forehead against hers, making her smile at Naruto's most used expression came from his lips.

"My wife isn't a weak woman," he hummed, and he would see to it that she knew it. He took her smile as acceptance and quickly shifted gears so he could show her how amazing she was.

His lips planted slow trails of fire along the skin of her neck as they moved up, capturing her sigh into his mouth.

Her hands glided across his front, lovingly tracing the remnants of a deep scar across his chest, where a bullet had failed to take his life. She kissed it tenderly, knowing it was a testament to both his strength and vulnerability.

His heart always fluttered when she kissed his scar, as it did when she kissed his curse mark. She was the answer to all his pain, physical or emotional, and he was determined to be hers.

His hands smoothed over her hips, fingers curling around the flesh of her rear before sliding up and dragging her thin shirt along her skin until it was carelessly tossed aside. Her bare skin was illuminated from the moonlight, enticing his hands to touch.

They roamed her body, eliciting soft hums of approval encouraging him to continue. Her anxiety morphed into excitement as their kisses deepened. She hated being away from him for prolonged periods of time, even if it was just a few days. She missed him terribly, and every night they were together again felt like the first night he returned from his rogue mission two years ago.

Their breaths mingled frantically while he made quick work of his sweats. Intimacy was rarely slow and sweet with them. Both were impatient, and time was precious. He settled over her and grasped her hips, squeezing as her legs wrapped around his waist before entering her quickly.

Her body arched in response as she tried to hold in her need to cry out. The way his eyes focused on her as he moved never failed to make her breathless. Her hands wove into his hair, grasping the ebony locks in a fierce hold as the sensations grew.

The room was filled with their gasps and harsh breathing. Sasuke couldn't get enough of his wife. Though they had been married for over a year now, the fact remained that most nights they barely had enough time or opportunity to be intimate. Between their four very young children and CIA lives, Sakura considered herself lucky to get her kids fed, clean and in bed at a decent hour after a hectic work day.

Sasuke was happy just to spend an evening at home and help Sakura with the kids, especially the twins.

His babies were already starting their lives with him absent most of the time, and he vowed to never make the same mistake of putting work before his family again. It was easier said than done.

Their movements became more aggressive. Sasuke held himself above her with one hand as the other migrated down to sensitive breasts. His name escaped her lips in the sweetest way, the sound unleashing the possessiveness within him as he drove into her wildly. Though their intimacy was considered rare, it was always heated and passionate, ending in the most exquisite waves of release.

He wanted to immerse himself within her and remind her just how much she belonged to him, and how he belonged to her in every way. How she was the only one he craved when he was away and how there weren't words strong enough to convey just how in love with her he was.

Their passion built up into a frenzy of moans and heavy breathing until the tension burst. She turned her head and screamed her release into her pillow, not wanting to stir the other occupants of the house in alarm. Sasuke followed shortly after, arching his back in bliss before slumping over her and burying his face into her neck.

She wrapped her arms around his form, chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath and smiling as his lips grazed her torso. They were far from done tonight, if his roaming hands were any indication.

They moved up and down her sides, squeezing and groping her flesh greedily with every new curve and dip. Her body had changed within the past two years.

The trauma of her abduction left numerous scars, each telling a story of a pain no one deserved to endure. Most were faded, but ever-present and a constant reminder that she may be strong, but she was still breakable.

Her right shoulder blade area had a fading scar from a knife wound. It was a miracle the knife hit bone and didn't pierce her lung or do more damage to her arm given the location, and a flesh wound was all that she got. She once jokingly lamented that she would never be able to wear anything sleeveless or backless again without exposing the mark, only to have Sasuke kiss the area and claim that he never wanted any other man to get the chance to see her skin in such alluring way besides him anyway.

He had received an eyeroll at the statement, and to his chagrin, Ino had convinced Sakura that showing off that scar would let the world know just how much of a badass she was and to wear all the backless dresses she wanted.

Sasuke's lips trailed down the valley of her breasts, before moving back up to get her lips again. His hands caressed the sides of her hips lovingly, particularly her left side. The most prominent scar she had was from the burn of a gunshot wound.

That one would never fade, having left her skin slightly darker than the rest of her body, and almost glossy from the recovery. But it wasn't the appearance of the scar that angered Sasuke, it was the location.

That wound was meant to kill their unborn babies at the time. Sasuke wished he could have done more bodily harm to Danzo before he was killed, as his rage over the incident would never truly die. His wife would bear the mark for life, always being reminded of just how close to death she came.

But she was the strongest woman he had ever known.

His lips trailed down her abdomen, stopping at her low belly. His hands smoothed over the area, leaving small kisses and resting his forehead against her. Of all areas she was most insecure, it was here.

When Sakura had first given birth to Sora, her body had bounced back relatively well. After less than year, her belly was once again smooth and firm with no outer changes to her skin or elasticity.

Her second pregnancy with Shouhei and Saiyuri was not as smooth sailing as the first. Twins naturally pushed the body to its limits. The womb was only meant for one baby at a time. Twins and beyond were all extra miracles. Tenten won the trophy for the triplets, though her recovery was another story altogether.

Sakura's belly was in relatively decent shape all things considering, but the skin over her lower abdomen was now a bit loose, with faint lines of silvery stretch marks that bore evidence to the two little lives that once grew inside her.

She knew Sasuke didn't care about what her belly looked like now, as he plainly told her so when he caught her starring at herself in the mirror with a look of unhappiness, but she was still human and she had her insecurities like anyone else.

It also really didn't help that Ino pig also had twins and didn't have so much as a damn stretch mark to show for it! Tenten had some small ones, but you would think her belly would be destroyed after triplets. Nope! She was the most physically fit out of all them and must have had some good genetics on her side to look the way she did. Plus she had Lee train her into oblivion to get her body back a few months after she gave birth.

No one saw much of Tenten for a few weeks, and were warned by Neji she was borderline dangerous to be around when she was training with Lee. The results spoke for themselves, but Sakura wasn't that unhappy where she'd voluntarily train with Rock Lee.

Her thoughts turned back to her husband when he moved back up her body and looked down at her with that hungry gaze that made her shiver. His lips met hers again, slowly working her into another go.

She was beyond exhausted, but nothing short of passing out would ever stop her from kissing him if she could help it. She loved him more than he would ever know, and actions spoke the loudest to Sasuke. She would make sure she was heard tonight.

When they lay in each other's arms later that night, Sakura lazily traced his scar with her fingers and sighed with content. Sasuke was beginning to nod off, and the baby monitor was quiet, allowing her to begin drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Several hours later, she woke up before he did and allowed herself to just simply be in his arms and admire his sleeping form. Her husband was one of the most handsome men she had ever known, and her heart never failed to flutter at the initial sight of him on any given day. But there was an innocence about his sleeping face that made her melt a little more with love for him.

She restrained a giggle as a section of his hair moved with each exhale of his breath. His lips were barely parted enough to be considered open, yet this minuscule observation was enough to tell her that this was Sasuke at his most comfortable and unguarded.

It told her that he trusted her enough to fully relax.

The arm that held her waist tightened suddenly, letting her know that he was awake now. He may have been relaxed, but he was still ever the light sleeper.

"Something funny?" he muttered, eyes still closed. His hand began to rub up and down her naked hip, warming up the skin with pleasant tingles from calloused fingers.

She kissed his jaw and then his cheek. "You're kind of adorable when you sleep," she confessed, making him crack an eye open to stare pointedly at her.

"I'm not adorable," he replied, as if such a description was offensive. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes with his free hand, while the other continued its exploration of her skin.

"What's wrong with adorable?" she asked with another kiss to his cheek. "I like it."

"Kids are adorable. I'm not," he stated, making her giggle once more. Sometimes he was even more adorable than he knew.

"Yes, you're also handsome," she said, kissing his cheek. "Mysterious," another kiss closer to his mouth "Striking," she breathed as her hand slide up his chest in a soft caress. "Sexy," she whispered before ghosting her lips over his mouth.

By now he had shifted her on top of him and opened both eyes to enjoy the view of his pink-haired wife. Her chest was flush against his, pushing her breasts up enticingly. His hands found her thighs and slid up her form, squeezing her rear and settling there.

Her lips molded against his in a slow burning kiss. She pulled away and looked at him lovingly. "And yet somehow you're still too adorable."

She chuckled at the way his eyes narrowed before yelping when he flipped her beneath him and attacked her mouth with his, swallowing her moan shortly after.

His hands worked their way over her body, getting her hot and bothered within seconds. He'll show her adorable!

No sooner that he had her writhing and ready to go, they were interrupted by the sound of activity over the baby monitor. He stilled over her and broke from their kiss as she sighed in resignation to the call of motherhood.

"Their timing is impeccable," she groaned. Sasuke simply smirked at the obvious disappointment in her voice.

She didn't have to worry though. Sasuke had plans for her tonight. She called him adorable dammit, and he was going to make sure that word was the last thing on her mind when they came home for the day.

"I'll get them," he offered. "You get ready."

He detangled himself from her and put his pants back on. Sakura twisted in the sheets and admired his form as he walked away from her to greet their little ones. She knew he relished any time he could get with the babies, as the chance to just spend the day with them was unfortunately rare.

She could hear the babies getting impatient over the monitor and smiled when she heard Sasuke approach them.

" _I'm up,"_ he told them. _"You interrupted my time with mama,"_ he gently chided, making Sakura cover her mouth and giggle. He must have forgotten the monitor was on. She switched the camera feature on and leaned back to enjoy the scene.

Sasuke had Saiyuri in his arms while Shouhei bounced in his crib with impatience, demanding his father's attention. Sasuke kissed Saiyuri's cheek before picking up Shouhei and doing the same.

He went to sit in the big chair in the corner, letting the babies rest against him. They both began to roam their chubby hands all over his face, pulling at his lips and ears and generally smacking him around in greeting. Sakura's giggles increased as she watched Sasuke let their kids abuse him.

The babies were simply getting to know their father again after not seeing him for so long. And Sasuke was content to let them, though he did twitch when Shouhei grabbed a huge wad of his hair and practically tried to dive off his lap, forcing Sasuke to grab both kids to steady them.

Sakura's heart leapt in her throat at the move. Her children were safe in their father's hands, his reflexes being legendary and all. But it still was scary to see. The babies giggled at the sudden move, though their father was less than pleased.

He proceeded to put the babies on the changing table and get that process started. Sakura didn't let him miss out on diaper duty when he was home. She switched the monitor off and decided to get started on her shower before Sora and Suki woke up. Her family deserved a good breakfast, and she was determined to deliver.

After all, today was going to be a family day at the CIA. They needed their strength.

* * *

 **AUTHORS NOTE: This chapter is dedicated to my buddy Giada Luna, who has been an amazing friend and fellow fanfiction writer TO SO MUCH AMAZING WORKS CHECK OUT HER STUFF!**

Hello All!

It's been three years since I've promised this I HAVE NO EXCUSES! Just hoopla.

LET ME JUST THANK ALL OF YOU AMAZING READERS OUT THERE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED ME AND MESSAGED ME THROUGHOUT THE YEARS! I am still in awe that I get reviews and PM's for "To Love and to Love Again" and my prequel fic "Wake Me Up Inside". I HAVE THE BEST READERS EVER!

There have been SO MANY OF YOU that have messaged me through the years and have waited for this fic, that again, I'm just in awe. I think I tried too hard to make this story absolute perfection when that's never achievable, so I was chasing a dead end for years. And the longer I waited to post something, the more I overthought the content and ran into block after block of writing mush. BUT I DUNNO WHAT HAPPEN THIS TIME I ACTUALLY POSTED.

It was supposed to be one big chapter but I had to break it up because If I didn't I probably never would have updated lol. So there will be one more chapter for sure, or maybe two depending on how I break it up.

Sora and Suki didn't get any screen time this chapter but they'll be there next chapter don't you worry, and we get to know the babies too.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter so if you're so inclined PLEASE REVIEW I'm a review junkie. Was this anything like you expected after such a long wait?


	2. Ch 2: Secret Missions

**To Love Even More**

 **Chapter Two: Secret Missions**

 **Chapter 2 is up! Don't forget to review since it's mojo!**

* * *

Hinata was just surfacing from the realm of sleep into consciousness. She kept her eyes closed and sighed into her pillow, enjoying the warmth of the comforters and the quiet of the room.

Naruto had come home last night, and what started as a simple welcome home kiss on her part had quickly escalated into a night of intense passion and reckless making out. She wasn't complaining then, but her body did make its slight discomfort known this morning. The longer he was away on a mission, the more intense his "homecoming" tended to be.

Again, she wasn't complaining.

She smiled and turned to curl up against him, but was met with the bed. She opened her eyes to find the room empty, and the house relatively quiet.

That is, until she heard footsteps approaching along with the sounds of babble from her son. She quickly pulled on her robe before Naruto entered with their son in one arm, and what looked like a plate of pancakes in the other.

"Good Morning Mrs. Uzumaki," Naruto grinned.

"Good Morning," she said, eyeing the pancakes with a raised brow. "Are those for me?"

"You know it," Naruto handed her the plate before dropping a kiss on her forehead and plopping down next to her with a squealing Minato.

"Is there some special occasion I'm unaware of?" she asked, smiling at her son's laughter as his father lifted him up in the air. "And any reason why Minato doesn't have any clothes on?"

Minato was in a diaper and socks. Still cute as a button, but obviously had some sort of wardrobe malfunction.

Naruto pouted and whispered into his son's ear. "Mama's so suspicious huh?" He motioned for Hinata to begin eating. "Just wanted to do something nice for you today," he said before smirking and leaning toward her. "After all, you were so _nice_ to me last night," he whispered before kissing her cheek and leaning back to enjoy her fierce blush.

She was so cute when she blushed. Naruto was totally going to find a way to jump her at the Agency. Maybe this time they won't get caught again. Hinata nearly died of embarrassment when Sakura caught them in the medical ward. She didn't see anything, but her warning from behind the door to " _go make babies somewhere else_ " told them she knew what they were up to.

As if reading his thoughts Hinata said "I'm not going to sneak around the Agency with you again, so if this was some sort of bribe…" she gestured toward the pancakes.

Naruto laughed and shook his head. "Mommy's thinking naughty thoughts again," he said to Minato, who simply smiled as his mother's blush spread. "Let's be honest, I don't need to butter you up with pancakes for that, do I?"

His sly grin left her nearly sputtering. "N-Naruto!"

"Pancakes are getting cold," he teased, tickling their son's belly and getting more giggles out of him. "Eat up, we've got a long day of training ahead of us!"

She sighed and ate her pancakes, feeding some to Minato when he reached for her. She knew her husband was up to something today. Whatever it was, she was going to be weary of him. True to his words, it didn't take much persuasion on his part for her to fool around in the Agency. But now she was beginning to think it was something else.

Whatever it was, it was sure to get him in some sort of trouble.

* * *

Getting ready to go anywhere was a challenge for the Uchiha household. Sakura needed an extra set of hands at every turn, but she counted herself lucky that at least half of her children were potty trained and able to dress themselves if she laid their clothes out for them.

With Sasuke away on missions so often, she struggled to juggle her children's needs and her career without wanting to just give up. Prep work with cooking and groceries helped a bit, and the CIA was jumping through hoops to get the smallest of errands done for her while she was either in the agency, the hospital or both. Perk's of the job, she was told when asking if this was done for all Agents.

She was incredibly grateful for the help, and she only used the benefit when she was desperate.

"I really need to get going before Shino starts another project," Sakura said as she gathered her things into her bag. She looked over at the table and sighed when she realized that only the twins were ready.

"He can wait until you get there," Sasuke replied. He put another spoonful of an oatmeal fruit mush into Shouhei's mouth before using a different spoon and bowl for Saiyuri.

Sora and Suki were chowing down on their breakfasts, still in their jammies and nowhere near ready. It was Saturday morning, their father was home, and no one was in any rush to go anywhere.

"Do we have to go training today Mommy?" Suki asked. Sakura smiled at her disheveled appearance and grabbed a hair brush.

"Yes, you do and let me get your hair done before anything else." She began to tame Suki's locks as she continued to eat her breakfast, trying to do as much as possible before she left, and at this point she really needed to bolt.

Sasuke had attempted to do Suki's hair a few months back, trying to help and be more involved with Suki at Sakura's urging. The task seemed simple enough, however the execution was terrible. For as skilled as he was in the kitchen, combat or just about anything else, Sasuke didn't seem to get how to style a little girls hair. A hair band ended up so badly tangled into Suki's locks that scissors were needed, and good chunk of length had to be removed until her hair turned into an ear-level bob.

Suki was devastated and Sasuke may have been scarred for life from ever doing his daughters hair again.

Her hair eventually grew back to shoulder level like before, but now Suki wouldn't let her father do her hair again, preferring her mother's styling. Sakura could have sworn she saw Sasuke pout at the reminder as she finished, leaving Suki with two pig tails for their training later today.

"You two need to get dressed as soon as you're done with breakfast," she said to Sora and Suki. "Sora more eating and less drawing for now please."

"Okay," Sora mumbled. He was never without his sketch pad, drawing anything and everything at a moment's notice if need be. Sometimes he got so absorbed into his art that he tended to forget about the things around him.

Sakura smiled and checked her watch, quickly losing that smile when she saw that she was officially going to be late meeting Shino.

"I guess I'll take the babies and you can brin—"

The sound of a bowl falling and cracking on the ground interrupted her words as she looked up to see the mess on the floor and all over her son. Shouhei's clothes and face were now covered in oatmeal. Sasuke had a spoon dangling midair as he glanced at the mess before looking over at his wife.

Sakura sighed again. "Saiyuri it is," she said before taking her baby daughter out of her high chair before her brother could share the mess with her. "You think this mess is getting you out of the Agency today?" she playfully asked her messy son. She pushed his hair back and kissed a clean spot on his forehead. "Well it's not. Daddy's going to get you cleaned up and then he's going to bring you and your brother and sister over."

"We'll catch up with you," Sasuke got up from his seat and kissed her cheek before doing the same for Saiyuri. Sakura smiled and gave both Sora and Suki a kiss before heading out the door.

"What are we going to do with them huh?" she asked her little girl, who smirked in a way all too like her father to be a coincidence.

It was highly possible the oatmeal incident was sabotage on Saiyuri's part.

* * *

Sakura enjoyed the drive to the CIA headquarters, as it gave her time to get herself mentally prepared for whatever waited for her there. Some days were information overload, and others were a juggling act between the Agency and her civilian role in the hospital.

Konoha Medical Center was still a thriving metropolitan institution that required her presence. Her days off from the CIA just meant she would be working at KMC. It was those days where she felt "normal", and not as if she was a secret agent.

She would pick up her children from school, take them home and make them a nice dinner before bath time and bedtime. That was assuming everyone wanted to go the bed and not keep her up with anything and everything. She was lucky to get in one hour to herself before passing out in exhaustion.

She was basically alone. Mikoto could only come over so often to help her out, and Sasuke was away quite a bit. She never complained though. This was the life she decided to sign up for. This was what she was determined to be a part of, because all her loved ones were needed there. She appreciated that her father was trying to protect her from all this, but really, there was no way she could sit on the sidelines and let everyone else do their part.

It was still the biggest relief to have Sasuke home though. Missing him was the greatest challenge to overcome. Raising four kids alone was tough, but sleeping alone after that was enough to almost break her.

She smiled as she thought about how they were destined to be a family. How could they not be? Everything in their lives had been slowly driving them together, even in the most unexpected of ways.

That included Sai and Aya.

When Sakura learned of what Sai had done for the Agency, and how he had gone through all of it alone, she broke down. She wished every day that he had confided in her and allowed her to help him, though she knew that there wouldn't have been much she could do. His selflessness and love for his family was appreciated not only by her, but by the agency as well.

Sai was honored for his bravery in the CIA. His story was something that Tsunade wanted to share with all members of the Agency, to ensure that not only was Sai's sacrifice never overlooked, but that he was honored in a way that instilled a legacy to a man who thought the world should forget him.

He was her first love, and though there would always be a part of her that would continue to mourn his loss, there was a bigger part of her that would live her life protecting and serving people and raising their son in a way that would make Sai proud of her, and their Sora.

Her Sai could rest in peace knowing that they were okay.

She could only hope the same could be said for Sasuke's first wife Aya.

Sakura would never forget the moment she finally saw a photograph of Suki's mother, or the memories that came flooding into her mind with it.

Because Sakura and Aya had crossed paths once before.

She remembered the sad pregnant woman she met at a food stand in Kyoto when she was pregnant with Sora. The recognition didn't come from looking at her face. It came from her eyes, and the story Aya told Sakura that sounded so familiar when she heard Shin's story.

The tragedy of Shin and Aya led to so much heartache. Sakura broke down as the situation assaulted her at once. She remembered Aya struggling with her marriage and pregnancy as they shared a park bench. She remembered the vendor mistaking them for each other because of their matching eyes. She remembered thinking how sad it was that she was carrying the child of someone she couldn't bring herself to love.

Knowing that the man Aya was talking about was Sasuke, and seeing that the child they had was sweet little Suki, that the man she loved was Sai's brother Shin… it was all too much. Sakura felt as though she had just lost another friend, even though she didn't know Aya's name at the time.

Sasuke found her in quite a state, and it took her a good long while to calm down enough to tell him about her chance encounter with his late wife. He was surprised alright, and added another shock when he had time to digest the story.

" _So, it was because of you," he said, confusing her._

" _What was?"_

 _He looked to the picture of Aya. "Suki's name. Her mother came home from a business trip in Kyoto and told me that we had to name our daughter Suki." He looked back to her. "Because it means beloved."_

 _Tears streamed down her face. So, her friend was listening to her advice after all._

" _I think we would have tried to make our relationship work," Sasuke added after wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Aya was determined to try, and that was because of you. Obviously, we never got that chance. But even still, you were there for Suki when her mother needed it."_

 _She closed her eyes as more tears spilled down her cheeks. She would need more time to grieve this new loss, but she was still beyond happy she could care for her friend's daughter, and love her enough for them both._

Sakura blinked back the tears as she continued to drive. The memories still brought her to tears, but she was grateful that life had given her the opportunity to be a part of this family and be the mother Suki needed.

She hoped Aya knew how much she would always cherish her beloved little Suki. Nothing in the world would change that.

* * *

Sasuke was just finished bathing Shouhei when his phone alerted him to a new text message. He glanced at the screen and quickly read the text.

Dobe: _You're going down!_

He smirked and looked back at his son. He wrapped him up in a towel and headed over to the nursery to get him dressed. On the way, he popped into Sora and Sukis room.

"Are you two ready?" he asked.

"I'm ready!" Suki sang. Sora simply nodded and he continued his drawing. Both were dressed in their karate uniforms, the only difference being their belt colors. Sora had gotten his orange belt, while Suki had white as a beginner. She was most displeased to learn there were no pink belts.

Sasuke began to dress the baby when another message came through, this time from the Agency. Before their training, they would need to de-brief their last mission with Kakashi and Tsunade since they put it off last night.

He quickly dressed Shouhei before gathering all three of his kids and getting in the car. Before he left, he sent a brief reply to the Dobe.

" _Don't count on it Dobe. Remember to keep your mouth shut and we're good_."

He promised Sakura that there wouldn't be any more secrets between them, and this was technically breaking that promise. But the stakes were too high. Secrecy was needed.

* * *

 **CIA Entomology Lab:**

Shino Aburame considered himself capable of anything he put his mind too. Though he was much more at ease working with the insect kingdom he revered, the young entomologist was also keen to bond with his fellow humans, namely his immediate coworkers within the CIA. The agency bonded its people in a way that was unlike any other, and he had worked with several members you could say he "grew up" with from his youth.

He wasn't the most outspoken of his peers however, and most of the time that—coupled with his introverted nature— would hinder his goals of bonding with others by making him easily forgettable or dismissed. His profession certainly didn't help with his popularity within the agency, as most people tended to have a deep aversion to insects. They were too repulsed by their design, hard keratin shells, or just the sheer numbers of a swarm. The phrase "creepy crawlies" pretty much summed up how humans thought of such resilient and magnificent creatures. There were few who could understand their significance to life on earth; fewer still that would care to listen.

But on rare occasions, people would surprise him. He recalled a request made by Ino one day to "relocate" a swarm of bees that had taken up residence in her back garden. The hive had grown to a decent size, most likely attracted by the many flora that adorned the Nara garden's she maintained so well.

Ino was probably the most offended by bugs in general, typically screaming bloody murder at the sight of a spider or roach. So, he was especially curious as to why she wanted him to "relocate" the hive versus destroying it as most would do.

She simply gave him a bemused look. _"Believe it or not I would never lay a finger on honey bees. Sure, I don't want a hive in my yard. I have two small children that play outside here and I don't want them getting stung. But with without those honey bees, the flowers around the world would never be pollinated. The plants I adore would never be able to thrive without them, and the world would be that much uglier. So, do me a favor and take the hive somewhere they can do some good. I'm already taking care of the flowers here."_

Shino was humbled by the request and did ask she asked. Ino still screamed if she was near anything that could crawl, but he was grateful that even she could appreciate what insects could do.

His teammate Kiba however would probably never see their significance. He was dedicated to the much more popular canine branch of the animal kingdom, where fleas, tics and heartworms were problematic for his dogs. Not that Shino minded dogs. He could see the value in a canine's ability in tracking, and was more than envious of the companionship humans sought them for. Akamaru was a prime example of such qualities, as he was never far from Kiba.

Hinata was more willing to listen to the information provided, however he knew it was more out of her natural politeness than actual interest. He appreciated her attention nonetheless.

Shino knew he was valued though. He was still rather involved with his teammates work assignments or personal lives, even if it was just to be present. His former Sensei Kurenai liked to check up on him, even with a daughter to care for now.

The Agency certainly gave him high regard for his work in the laboratory and forensics unit, even if it was an isolated area of the department, making it even more difficult to entertain visitors who would need special clearance just to see him.

But whatever social graces he lacked, he certainly made up for with intellect and ingenuity.

He had never shared this with anyone before, but it had always been a desire of his to pass on his extensive knowledge to others. He found his odds for procuring offspring of his own were rather low now, but the surge of babies born to his fellow Agents in the past two years alone presented a potential group of students he could nurture in academia.

He found much joy in explaining the wonders of the insect world and any other subject he was well versed in. It gave him a sense of accomplishment as well as a subtle sense of bonding with those around him by providing them with information. Perhaps in the future, he could shift more of his energy into teaching, should the chance arise.

But for now, Shino was content to remain in the lab where his expertise could be put to immediate use. He found himself to be in the company of a new Agent as of late, since she had taken such a liking to his lab.

"How're you doing Shino?" Sakura asked as she examined a slide under a microscope.

Shino regarded the pink-haired child in his arms carefully. "She appears to be stable," was his reply.

Sakura chuckled, eyes still glued to the slide. "I know she's fine since I don't hear any crying, but are you okay? I can smell the tension."

The baby in his arms reached for his shades, making him pull his neck back so he was out of reach.

Eleven-month old Saiyuri Uchiha wasn't deterred. She reached for his face again with chubby fingers, determined to get the item off his face. She began to fuss when she couldn't reach, alerting her mother to her distress.

"Sweetie, are you being good for Uncle Shino?" Sakura asked, still eyeing the slides carefully. "Mommy's almost done here."

"You shouldn't rush the analysis," Shino chimed. "It's important that you properly asses the anti-inflammatory capacities of this breeds slime… and you are aware that children are not permitted in the lab."

Sakura chuckled. "I know so don't tell anyone." She documented her findings and put the slides away before discarding her protective gown and washing her hands.

She put her clean lab coat back on and smiled. "It's looking good so far. The slime produced by this breed has higher anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties than the others we've examined. It's still early but I have high hopes for this project."

Shino nodded in agreement. Sakura had approached him some months ago, and requested his participation in a project to investigate the potential use of slug mucus for advanced medicinal purposes. Though the use of slug mucus for such purposes has been done in the past, it hasn't been revisited in modern medicine after pharmaceutical industry came to be.

Slugs were not insects and were a part of the mollusk family, but Shino was intrigued by the idea and agreed to help. Sakura was one of the few people he knew of that was not deterred by the entomology department. She was fond of his lab, and used it often over the medical wards facilities. Shino thought it was perhaps due to the isolation of his lab that allowed for more privacy.

"Then we shall continue to monitor this breed carefully," he replied, glancing at the tank that was occupied by several plump and slimy slugs. The distinctive blue and white pattern that made up their skin was due to their unique breeding to enhance their healing abilities.

Sakura had even named the mother slug "Katsuyu", apparently after a stuffed animal of hers that her baby daughter left forgotten on the table in pursuit of his shades.

"For now, anyway," she said before reaching for her baby. "Thanks for letting me use your lab. I know I'm always interrupting your experiments but your lab is so much better than mine."

Shino was reluctant to surrender the baby back to her mother, but handed her over anyway. He watched as Sakura held her child fondly and kissed her cheek. The little one kept looking at him with a disgruntled expression, as if frustrated she couldn't rob him of his shades. He could have sworn he saw a look that promised completion of the robbery in the future. Sakura noticed the look as well and sweat-dropped. Her babies were in somewhat of a grab-and-go phase. Once they fixated on an object, the chase began.

"Will your younger son be coming to the Agency today?" Shino asked.

"Shouhei is in the nursery with his grandmother. I would have left Saiyuri with her but she screamed when I tried to leave and Mikoto already has the other babies to watch as well. I didn't want to overload her. Why?" she asked, curious about his curiosity.

"Hinata mentioned that she would be bringing her son to the Agency," he replied, moving back to his work station and putting the slugs back into their corner. "I had just assumed your son would be brought in today as well. Why? Because Sasuke and Naruto have just returned from a mission, and will likely be spending the day training. You and Hinata tend to use days like this to make them watch the children."

Sakura chuckled and rubbed her neck sheepishly. Shino wasn't wrong. She and Hinata wanted their husbands to spend as much time with their children as possible, which was often hard to do considering their work. They took any opportunity they could to spend time together. It also gave the mothers a chance to breath without worrying about their children's safety. Certain events of the past have instilled permanent paranoia over the lives of their little ones.

"Well you caught us," she admitted and looked at her daughter fondly. "You're going to go spend some time with Daddy and your older brother and sister today. Say bye-bye to Uncle Shino."

Saiyuri simply reached out for him, no doubt trying to make another attempt at his shades, before her mother nervously chuckled again and bid him farewell and exited the lab.

Many would have to pay close attention to Saiyuri Uchiha in the future.

* * *

Kakashi watched the karate practice intently, noting the moves of his two grandchildren and how much they had improved within the year.

"Hiyah!" they chimed as their instructor went through the motions of their practice.

"Kick as high as you can, as if trying to reach the sun itself!" Lee roared.

Sora and Suki, now seven years of age, complied. Their martial arts skill was excellent, even without their Sharingan to aid them. Sasuke wanted his children to be able to defend themselves without the use of their genetic ability if possible.

The Uchiha family trait had been under close study and scrutiny in the past year. Mikoto had provided many texts to the agency that had been closely guarded by the clan for generations. The information told them that while the clan could use the ability just fine, it was noted that excessive use could be detrimental to their eyesight in the future. It demanded a large amount of energy from the body and could only be sustained for as long as the individual could provide.

Kakashi knew of the toll it could take on one physically. As the only non-Uchiha user, it took even more out of him than a true Uchiha. Sora was a unique situation as well.

After the depraved experiments carried out by Kabuto Yakushi via Danzo and ROOT, Sora's genetic code had become uniquely blended with Uchiha DNA. The side effects of the transfusion were being closely monitored by Tsunade and Shizune, as well as his mother.

Sakura's fear was valid. Sora was a walking human experiment whose future was still uncertain, very much like Naruto, who was still being monitored in his adult life. Though all seemed to check out with no immediate threat to Sora's life, Sakura still wasn't sure what kind of effects the transfusion would have on him physically and psychologically.

On the mental front, the boy appeared to be the same. He was a calm and introspective child with an affinity for art, just like his father Sai. He was also a happy boy who loved his friends and family dearly.

The physical front was still up in the air.

Sora had noticeably grown over the last year. He was a bit taller, and his face had lost its babyish roundness in place of a more defined jaw and cheek angle. He was still a very young boy, though the difference between a five-year-old and seven-year-old may as well have seemed like a decade versus just two years. Sakura certainly lamented how fast her baby was growing up, much to her son's exasperation.

But the more Sora grew, the more he looked like his current father Sasuke. They couldn't tell if it was the Uchiha DNA contributing to the similarity, or if it was just Sora's natural outlook since his father Sai could have been Sasuke's doppelganger. The affect really shined when he donned his Sharingan.

Paired with his sister Suki, the two were considered twins. She was quickly catching up to her brother in martial arts ability, having decided to train with him over taking ballet. Suki wanted to move the way the ninjas did her favorite anime. She wanted to be able to protect her family and friends from anyone ever hurting them again. She was also determined to become a doctor like her mother. It was Suki's goal to be as good as she was, if not better. Her intelligence and adaptability were noteworthy, and though she would never admit it out loud, Tsunade adored the chance to train another "apprentice" alongside Sakura.

The Uchiha children weren't the only ones in training though. The Nara twins Akio and Akira had also joined, as well as Jun Inuzuka. All five children were training for greatness, and each of them showed amazing potential.

"That will be all for today," Lee announced to his young group. "We will go through our post-training stretches, and then we shall get ready for the secret special event to be held later today in the gymnasium!"

Suki raised her hand. "Sensei, what's the secret event?"

Lee began to stretch his arms over his head as the children mimicked him. "I am not permitted to tell anyone of the secret just yet," he explained.

"How come?" Suki asked mid-stretch. Sora almost sighed, knowing this was soon to be a battle of wills. He placed his bets on his sister since his "grandmother" Tsunade taught him a thing or two about how to read a potential win…and he just did the opposite of whatever that was.

"Because today's special event requires the utmost secrecy," Lee replied as he motioned for them to switch sides and stretch again.

"How come?" Suki persisted, following the moves perfectly. Her best friend Akira followed suit.

"Yeah Lee Sensei, how come?" Akira asked, curious about the secret as well. She was her mother's daughter after all. She needed the inside scoop to everything.

"Because the event will likely not happen should certain parties know of its existence," he allowed, not mentioning that the certain parities he was talking about was Suki's mother.

"Who's the party?" Akira asked.

"Is it a birthday party?" Suki thought out loud. "Is it for the babies?"

Her little brother and sister, as well as her cousin Minato Uzumaki were all born on the same day, but Suki knew they were born near Christmas time, and it was only November.

"I know what it is," Jun Inuzuka said as they switched stretches. "I heard my dad telling my mom about it. He said he was gonna place a bet on Minato just to make _your_ dad mad," he said to Suki and Sora.

Suki pouted. "Home come your daddy wants to make my daddy mad? That's mean!"

Sora looked pointedly at Jun. "My dad's just gonna beat up your dad cause he's stronger."

"Nuh uh!" an indignant Jun huffed. "My dad's way stronger than your dad!"

"Is not!" Sora shouted, ignoring the stretches to get in Jun's face. Akio stepped off to the side, not wanting to get involved.

"Is too!" Jun yelled, not backing down.

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is. Not!" Sora roared, eyes flashing the signature red the Uchiha before reverting as he tried to control himself.

"Is. Too!" Jun practically growled in Sora's face, the canine spirit of the Inuzuka shining.

Akira whispered in Suki's ear. "Aren't you going to say that your daddy is stronger than Jun's with Sora?"

Suki shook her head. "Nope."

Akio looked over at her response. "Why not?"

Suki simply smirked. "Because there's somebody even stronger than Daddy and Uncle Kiba!"

The two arguing boys stopped their shouting match and simultaneously turned to glare at the girl. "NUH UH! WHO'S STONGER THAN DAD!?

Suki placed her fists on her hips triumphantly and answered, "Mommy is!"

Sora and Jun fell back dramatically and groaned.

Kakashi blinked twice before grinning. "Can't argue with her there."

Akira leaned over and whispered to her brother "But what about their Uncle Itachi? Daddy said he's on another level, but I checked upstairs and he's not there."

Akio whispered back "I think he's the real strongest guy, but he's never around so I think they forgot that he can probably beat everyone… even Aunty Sakura."

"But Aunty Sakura is _strong_ ," Akira whispered back as Sora and Jun rounded on Suki over her statement. "Mommy's says it's because she's not human. And Uncle Naruto's afraid of her, and he's super strong so she must be even more scary."

"Dad say's Mommy has a complex about Aunty Sakura's strength."

"Mommy's way better than Aunty Sakura!" Akira shouted before a dark cloud of doom hovered behind her. She sweat-dropped and turned to find an ominous Suki looking at her best friend with death stars in her flashing eyes.

"No one is better than my mommy," Suki said calmly. Akio's pineapple hair shivered in fear while Akira huffed and stood her ground.

"Well _my_ mommy always calls _your_ mommy a forehead! So that must be bad!"

" _My_ mommy always calls _your_ mommy a pig! Like Tonton!"

"You're a forehead!"

"You're a Pig!"

"Forehead!"

"Pig!"

"FOREHEAD!"

"PIG!"

"I think Aunty Tenten is better at—" Akio started before being shoved out of the way by both girls. Sora and Jun helped him up, calling a temporary truce so that they girls wouldn't turn on them. Suki and Akira could be scary.

Kakashi sweat-dropped as numerous flashbacks of all the times Sakura and Ino would bicker over the smallest things in their primary school days came flooding back. Children inherited much from their parents, and bad habits were no exception. The name calling was inevitable.

"Children!" Lee said, breaking up the fight. "While each of your parents is exceptional in their respective fields, I must remind you that we are all comrades and we fight together as one! The power of youth possessed by each one of us helps to make us stronger, because we have each other to support. We should never fight amongst friends for that dampens the will of fire that we all proudly hold!"

"Here here!" Gai chimed as he materialized out of nowhere. "What Lee Sensei say's is correct. You are comrades first, but a healthy rivalry is always a fantastic way to make sure you're doing your best," he said flashing a grin and thumbs up towards Kakashi, who merely turned his head questioningly.

"Hm? Did you say something Gai?" he asked casually, prompting Gai to fall over as well.

He quickly got up and roared "I'll show you for acting so darn cool!" before quickly striking pose after pose. Lee quickly joined him, striking as many poses as humanly possible.

Akira and Suki looked on dejectedly, having forgotten their earlier battle.

" _Grown men acting so weird are gross,"_ they both thought before joining the group as they headed toward the special event.

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

 **Reviews are writing mojo, and I would love to hear your thoughts so if I see enough feedback I'll post sooner! Fanfic writers do this for reviews after all.**

 **The Sakura and Aya meeting described here was written down in my prequel fic "Wake Me Up Inside" so if you haven't read that one feel free to check it out!**

 **I cut the special event from this chapter but it's in the next chapter, which is written out so it shall be posted soon!**

 **So please let me know what you liked and it'll post sooner, I love hearing from you guys!**

 **Any predictions on what the special event is? And I know there wasn't any SasuSaku in this chapter but mayhaps I sneak some time in next chapter *snickers***


	3. It's ON

**To Love Even More**

 **Chapter 3:** **It's On**

* * *

Sasuke held back yawn as made his way over to the CIA nursery to pick up the babies. He and the Dobe had just ended their meeting with Tsunade about their previous mission, so there was nothing left to do today except train, if you could even call it that.

Today's exercises were nearly a year in the making, and he had made damn sure Sakura was unaware of it. She would not be happy with his plan.

As he walked through the familiar halls of the Agency, he tried his best not to get annoyed with the stares and doubletakes that continued to follow him here. You would think an organization full of Covert Agents would be subtler about their interests.

More than a year after joining the CIA, Sasuke was still the subject of massive scrutiny, interest and fascination. His reputation was across the board from being one of the best Agents they ever had, to being the worst of the worst from his former Sound days. No matter how you look at him, the word "lethal" was always used to describe him. If his former role as the Rogue Sound Assassin didn't do it, his display of ferocity during the rescue mission last year sealed the deal.

He literally tore a man's arms to shreds. And his physical capabilities had numerous witnesses that made most give him a healthy amount of space as he neared them. He didn't want to be feared, not amongst people he acknowledged as comrades, but he couldn't help the way they reacted to his actions. Also, if his fearsome reputation deterred anyone from thoughts of messing with his wife and children, he was more than okay with that.

"Sasuke," Neji greeted as he now walked beside him, probably going to the same destination.

"Neji."

Some people didn't care what his reputation was and even challenged him. Neji Hyuga was one of them. His association with the Hyuga bastard had improved over the year. At least they weren't on a last name basis anymore, though they both had to try to be more civil.

Neji was one of the few that was the least forgiving when it came to his past, mainly due to how much danger it brought to Sakura's life. Though Sasuke could appreciate his protective nature when it came to Sakura, it was no longer needed since she was his wife now, and no one would protect her better than he could.

"I assume it's still on," Neji said, smirking. "Though it seems a bit juvenile, even for you and Naruto."

"And yet you're still participating," Sasuke returned as they rounded the corner. "I know where you placed your bets, as off as they are."

"Family does come first," Neji replied airily. "Though I will deny all involvement if they find out. It's you and Naruto who should be weary if things go south."

"We'll see."

"Indeed, we will."

They reached the Nursery by then and looked around for their children. The increase in kids born to the Agency prompted the need for a larger daycare area for field agents, and on days like today where they could take it relatively easy, it made getting work done and spending quality time easier.

Neji spotted his three kids playing in the corner with Obitio Hatake and Mirai Sarutobi nearby. His boys, Hizashi and Kenji kept to themselves, while his daughter Ayame was content to flip through picture books along with Kakashi and Anko's son and Kurenai and Asuma's daughter.

Nearby was Mikoto Uchiha, who pretty much ran the daycare center. She spotted Sasuke and Neji by the door and smiled at them before picking up Shouhei from the playpen and making her way over to them.

Neji greeted her before moving onto to his family.

Sasuke couldn't help but warm up to the sight of his mother's smiling face.

Mikoto loved all four of her grandchildren. She was the epitome of a dotting grandmother and was always the first to volunteer to watch the kids if Sasuke or Sakura were needed elsewhere. She had confessed her knowledge about his misgivings, and the shock had yet to settle that his mother had been looking out for him all these years.

"Hello darling," she greeted, kissing his cheek as be bent to accommodate her. She smiled at him before looking down at her grandson. "He's already had his bottle and nap so he should be all set to go."

Shouhei Uchiha was his father's spitting image with his mother's green eyes, a trait he shared with his older sister Suki. He reached for his father, and Sasuke took his baby into his arms, a feeling of wholeness reaching his heart now that he had his son with him. He never liked being separated from his family for any length of time, though he knew it was a necessity with his work.

So long as they were all under the same building, he could breathe easy.

Mikoto smiled at the subtle change in her sons face as he held his baby. Sasuke loved his family, and it showed in so many ways. Shouhei rested his face against his father's chest, chewing on his fingers absentmindedly as his father patted his back gently.

"Where is Saiyuri?" he asked, looking around for his baby daughter.

Mikoto chuckled. "She threw a fit when she woke up from her nap, and Sakura happened to be here at the time, checking in. I had my hands full with the other children coming so Sakura decided to take her along to the lab earlier. Saiyuri is her father's daughter after all."

Sasuke raised a brow at that. Mikoto smiled.

"It's true. You used to cry incessantly for me after waking up from your naps. Nothing would soothe you, especially not your father. He would try his best to calm you down since Itachi always responded well to him as a baby, but he only seemed to make you cry even more," she chuckled before looking at him fondly. "Once I had you in my arms, you'd calm down and be happy as a clam."

A poorly disguised laugh was heard from Neji's general direction, prompting Sasuke to turn his head to hide the red tint of embarrassment on his cheeks.

Sasuke didn't want word to spread that indeed, he was what one would call a "Mama's boy," back in the day. He also had somewhat of a brother complex, always hanging around Itachi and trying to measure up to him. His relationship was his father was overshadowed by his older brother, and eventually Sasuke's teen years spiraled into his darkest hours.

His thoughts suddenly took a turn, wondering if any of his children might develop some of his unhealthy tendencies, when his mother put an end to it.

"Naruto was just here and took Minato with him. I sense something is going on that Sakura and Hinata wouldn't like. Is that the case?"

Sasuke tensed, not wanting to get his mother involved over something so petty, yet still so very worth it.

"Hn."

Mikoto resisted rolling her eyes. "Are you sure you can take them all today? I know Sakura has a full day in the lab and you just got back from a mission. I'd be more than happy to take all four kids home until the two of you are done."

"It's fine. I'll just be training today and Sakura will be done in the evening. We'd rather have the kids with us when we can."

She nodded in understanding. Her son and daughter-in-law had embraced their lives within the Agency fully, but their determination to be a family was stronger. Now that they had four children to raise, they made every effort to be together as often as possible. It was admirable enough, but Mikoto knew that they would need some help here and there.

Marriage is important, and now that Sasuke had finally married a woman he loved so deeply, she wanted to see him happy.

Sakura was everything she could ever hope for in a daughter-in-law. Her boundless love for Sasuke had saved him from falling into the darkness that had shadowed him for years. Mikoto vowed to find ways to allow them some alone time every now and then, though that was easier said than done.

That's the reason she allowed herself to give, when really, she just adored being a grandmother and would take any chance she could get to spend time with her grandchildren. Fugaku was just as intent to spend time with the kids, though he would try to put up a front when she teased him about it.

"Thank you, Mother," Sasuke said, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She smiled in return. "Of course. You just call again if you need some help."

Sasuke nodded and turned to head back into the training area. He was going to meet up with Naruto. He had the opportunity to train with many of the other agents, and he was impressed with the skill level each of them possessed, but no one could give him a run for his money the way the Dobe can.

Their rivalry hadn't lessened in the least bit, and it radiated down to their children.

The current wager was on whose baby would be able to walk for the first time. They had taken every chance to compete with their children, though on the downlow from their wives who didn't appreciate them pitting their children against each other.

The initial bet was who would wean onto bottles first.

The twins won that round, much to their mother's chagrin. Sakura was determined to breast feed for as long as she could and resisted the idea of a breast pump to an almost unreasonable degree, siting that it was a bonding experience she wouldn't trade no matter how busy she was.

That plan went to hell when she realized feeding two hungry babies every two hours were more than even she could handle, and finally began using a pump and storing her milk.

The second bet was who would crawl first. Minato took that win when the smell of ramen enticed him enough to begin crawling toward the hot bowel, making his father proud. The Dobe wouldn't shut up about it for a week.

Walking seemed to be a feat that was above the rest. It was the first real competition that could be considered a milestone.

And so, Sasuke made his way to the training center where Naruto stood waiting with his son on the mat. He looked up and made eye contact with Sasuke, the familiar glint in their eyes at the thought of a competition soon to begin.

"You ready for this Teme," Naruto challenged as he massaged his son's feet in preparation. Minato gurgled in his father's arms, his orange colored toad plush toy Gamakichi keeping him occupied for the moment.

Seeing the brightly colored stuffed animal reminded Sasuke that his mother had forgotten to give him Shouhei's stuffed snake plush. His son would surely be realizing that his favorite toy was missing once he saw Minato with his.

Sure enough, Shouhei lifted his head up from his father's chest and began to look around for the plushie. Sighing, Sasuke bounced him slightly to avoid a melt down before the competition.

Shouhei seemed to catch on to the act, and didn't want to be consoled. He began to fuss, and Sasuke feared an explosion of emotion (he was Sakura's son after all), but was saved when his wife entered the area with Saiyuri.

In her hands, was Shouhei's purplish blue snake plushie Aoda along with the slug plush Katsuyu his daughter loved.

She waved the toy in the air. "Your mother forgot to leave Aoda with you," she called out before walking up to him and handing the toy to her sons waiting hands. She kissed her baby boy before leaning up to do the same to her husband.

It was a chaste kiss he had to settle for now. Sasuke wasn't one for public displays of affection, save for a few rare incidences when he was in pursuit of Sakura's heart. The now legendary kiss they shared at the Christmas Gala two years ago was still a topic he was occasionally ribbed for, particularly from Naruto.

The Dobe still teased him whenever he so much as received a peck on the cheek from his wife. Apparently, it still took some getting used to seeing Sasuke _happily_ married.

"Honeymoon still isn't over, is it?" Naruto snickered, earning him the typical annoyed responses from his teammates.

Sakura huffed. "Please, you and Hinata are the worst, sneaking around the agency to fool around and not being the least bit subtle about it. I'm surprised she isn't pregnant again."

Naruto covered Minato's ears. "Not in front of the kids Sakura!" he pleaded before lowering his voice and grinning. "But I gotta catch up to you guys soon! I got one, you guys got four, plus Obito! Minato's not gonna be an only child, that's for sure."

Sakura rolled her eyes, but smiled. She had gotten to know Naruto better over the course of two years, and learned that his beginnings were more difficult that she had imagined. His parents died on a mission, leaving him orphaned until he was taken in by Jiraya and trained to be an Agent.

It was only natural he would want a bigger family on his own.

"Obito is my little brother, not my son," she reminded.

"Weirdness level aside, he's still a baby you're related to," Naruto replied. "And I thought Kakashi Sensei was done surprising us, marrying that scary woman on top of everything else." He shivered at the thought. Anko still got the slip on him and loved to scare the crap out of him whenever opportunity stuck.

"Well take it easy there," she warned. "I may have four children but you've got your hands full with Minato, isn't that right you little ball of energy?" she asked affectionately as she ran her hands through the baby's blond hair. He smiled at her in response.

The three babies began some sort of chatter with each other as they held their beloved Toad, Snake and Slug plushies. "Chibi Team 7" was what the Agency had affectionately nicknamed the trio, and rightly so. With Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto holding onto a child that was basically their copy, you couldn't think of a better team name.

"I need you to take Saiyuri too," Sakura handed Sasuke their pink-haired daughter. He held her gingerly in his free arm while the other occupied Shouhei. "Shino's been patient enough with me bringing her into the lab as it is. I don't want to push his buttons. Saiyuri keeps trying to take his glasses off and I think Shino would prefer we never find out what he looks like."

Naruto shivered. "What!? She's a brave little girl, I'll give her that. My future daughter-in-law is badass, just like her mama," he said grinning.

Sasuke's aura darkened. He would have to keep a close eye on the Uzumaki boy in the future. The blonde baby made eye contact with him then, and Sasuke could have sworn the baby narrowed his eyes in challenge. It was probably just his imagination though.

Sakura was about to go back to the lab, when she took another good look around the area. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion while Sasuke tried his best to avoid her curious gaze. Naruto seemed intent on not meeting her eyes as well.

If she found out what they were up to, there would surely be hell to pay.

"I'll see you when I'm done," she said wearily before turning to her babies. "Be good for Daddy you two," she cooed before kissing each baby on their cheeks and smoothing out their hair fondly.

She left the arena for the lab and once she was safely out of sight, the competition was on.

"Todays' the day Teme," Naruto declared. "Minato's got this."

Sasuke smirked. "We'll see about that"

"Is it safe to proceed?" Kakashi asked as he approached them with his older grandchildren in tow. He had a little wager going on as to which baby would walk first and didn't want to miss it.

"It's almost time," Sasuke replied.

The arena was set, their wives were occupied elsewhere, the babies were refreshed after their naps, but _most importantly_ …all the diapers had been changed.

He noted that others were also approaching the area. Their friendly rivalry had gained the interests of other Agents intent on watching with much amusement. Even Tsunade arrived, unable to resist betting on stakes as simple as this. She refused to say who she bet in favor of, lest she tip the hands of others.

Naruto looked around nervously. "Hinata's still assisting Sakura, isn't she?"

Kiba chuckled. "I saw her heading that way earlier so it should be all clear. But you know she won't be happy about any of this."

"She'd know it's all just a friendly competition!" He defended before an arm dropped on his shoulder, followed by a dark chuckle that sent shivers up his spine.

"You sure about that?" Anko asked, loving the way he recoiled from her in a stammering mess. It would never get old. "Because I would love to be there when Hinata flays you alive for disobeying orders. I'd pay to see that."

"You're paying to see it now, if you've placed a bet that is," Kakashi reminded.

"Why are you here!?" Naruto screeched.

"I've got money riding on this like everyone else," Anko admitted. "Gotta make sure my investment yields a good return."

"Who'd you bet on?"

"Shouhei."

"WHAT!"

"He has good taste in stuffed animals," she said shrugging. "I might get one for Obito, though he is more of a dog person like _someone_ I know," she hinted, glancing at Kakashi.

Kakashi simply shrugged. "Why have a stuffed animal when he has eight real dogs at home?"

"Hey! Some of us have to get back to work ASAP so can we start this already?" Kiba shouted while Genma went around collecting last minute bets.

"Sounds like a plan," Kakashi replied before turning to his team. "Are you sure you wish to proceed? I can't guarantee anything should either of them find out."

Sasuke nodded.

Naruto grinned. "Yeah. No one here's going to rat us out…unless…"

All eyes suddenly turned to Suki Uchiha, who simply smiled in response. It was a well-known fact that the little Uchiha girl was her mother's shadow and secret set of eyes. She wasn't a snitch per say, but she was never one to lie to her mother's face. Should Sakura ask her, Suki would cave and spill the beans.

Sasuke looked down at his daughter. "Tenshi," he began. "Let's keep this a surprise from your mother, alright?"

"How come?" Suki asked curiously.

"Because she isn't ready to know about this yet."

"How come?" she persisted.

"Because she won't like it."

"How come?"

"Because she wouldn't want to be disturbed at work about this."

"How co—"

"Come on Suki," Sora groaned. "Let's see whose gonna win! I bet Shouhei will beat everyone!"

"Nuh uh!" Suki retorted. "Saiyuri can win! She's fast!"

Sasuke was grateful for the distraction and cleared his throat to get their attention again.

Kakashi chose to act as a "neutral" end point.

All eyes were on Shouhei and Minato. Saiyuri wasn't really disregarded as a participant, but she was often overlooked over the boy's rivalry. Most of it was Sasuke's doing.

As most fathers would, he tended to be overprotective of his daughters more so than his sons. Whenever any sort of competition would arise, he was always quick to include Shouhei or Sora in the mix over Sayuri or Suki. He didn't doubt his daughter's abilities, but he certainly didn't want them getting hurt in any sense.

It was the unfortunately irrational nature of fathers.

Thankfully the girls had a mother and grandmother that all men feared in more than healthy doses.

Saiyuri was nonetheless placed on the mat between her brother and Minato, acting as a sort of buffer between the two. The babies were just under a year old, yet it was obvious that the boys had subconsciously adopted their father's rivalry and friendship. Such acts included hoarding all their plush toys and some awkward form of baby hair pulling and wrestling.

Once they began teething, some biting was thrown into the mix as well.

That was a nightmare Sakura and Hinata tirelessly tried to end.

"You've got this son! Believe it!" Naruto shouted from across the mat. Sasuke didn't shout but simply knelt and assessed the babies.

To make the babies cooperate, their fathers would hold their beloved plush toys in front of them across the mat, hopefully spurring the children to begin crawling, and maybe with enough motivation, start walking.

All three were being held back by a godparent. Neji held his nephew Minato up, while Ino held her goddaughter Saiyuri and Tenten held her godson Shouhei to give them a walking start.

"Minato's going to leave Shouhei in the dust," Naruto goaded.

"Not if Minato's anything like you, which he is," Sasuke returned.

"Now now," Kakashi chided his pupils. "It's one thing to push yourselves with this banter but it's entirely different when it's your children. You don't want to underestimate any of them."

"Like you can talk!" Naruto said pointing at him. "You're the one who started the betting pool! And two of the participants are your own grandkids!"

Kakashi waved his hand. "That's beside the point."

"The hell it is!"

"Alright now," Kakashi announced to the crowd. "Thank you all for coming to this friendly competition. The baby that reaches the finish line first will be declared the winner."

He raised his hand, signaling the godparents to hold the babies steady. Sasuke and Naruto tensed in anticipation, as well as the audience. They were betting on the baby who would be able to stand at the very least. That alone would tip the scales in their favor. Who knew a walking competition had such high stakes!

Kakashi lowered his hand, and the godparents waited until Sasuke and Naruto had brought the plush toys out from behind them and waved them enticingly at the babies.

Neji, Ino and Tenten let the babies go with bated breath, and the audience practically leaned forward in anticipation as all three babies stood up…for three seconds before all of them fell to their knees.

The crowd sweat-dropped.

But motivation was quick to follow as their fathers waved the toys at the children once more. Walking or crawling, they just had to cross the finish line!

"Let's go Saiyuri!" Tsunade shouted on impulse, making several heads turn now that she slipped on who she was betting for.

"Genma, I wanna change my bet!" Iruka shouted.

"Glad I went with Minato!" Asuma chimed. Jiraya silently agreed, not daring to upset Tsunade, who didn't seem to care.

"Make your changes now," Genma declared. "The race has already started and once the babies have crossed the half way mark all bets are final!" he announced.

Shouhei and Minato began making the adorable crawl towards their toys. The mat wasn't very long, but at a baby's pace it was a good enough distance.

Saiyuri lagged, not primarily interested in her plush slug, though she did crawl looking around for something interesting.

"It's Shouhei in the lead, with Minato nearly neck and neck," Lee narrated. "What blossoming of youth these two demonstrate!"

"Come on son you've got this!" Naruto cheered, waving the red toad around. "Come and get Gamakichi!"

Sasuke waved Aoda back and forth, bouncing the snake on its spiraling base. He didn't shout any encouraging words, but knew that Shouhei always seem entranced when he moved the toy just so.

It's seemed to do the trick as he barely picked up the pace.

"They're almost at the half way mark!" Genma announced. "Last chance to alter any bets!"

"Come on Saiyuri!" Tsunade goaded. "Show them why you're my pupil's daughter!" she cheered drunkenly to the baby who was significantly lagging behind. By this point anyone who placed anything on the little girl had placed their bets elsewhere, silently praying that her mother never finds out about any of this in fear of her legendary wrath.

* * *

Shino made his way to the training arena, intent on finding out the results of his secret betting contributions, though didn't want anyone to know he had placed a bet. He calculated the probability of each child, and came to the realization that he just may be able to tip the scales, just ever so slightly. All he had to do was just be there.

* * *

The crowd was pumped as the two boys nearly made it to the finish mark, still neck and neck, when a sudden hush fell over the gym.

A pair of chubby legs clad in pink footy pajamas wobbled between the leading babies as Saiyuri Uchiha propped herself up and made the walk towards the finish line. She passed the boys, who stopped to stare up at her when she passed them.

She immediately deviated to the left for some reason, but was stopped by her grandfather picking her up.

Sasuke and Naruto looked up in shock while Kakashi merely chuckled to the audience, who went slack-jawed.

"Well, it looks like the girl of the group will be the one to come out the victor," he said proudly at the little girl, who was looking somewhere behind him intently. Kakashi turned and thought he saw the ends of a lab coat disappearing into the hall before shaking it off.

Shino walked down the hallway and placed his shades back over his face, his tall coat hiding the small smirk on his mouth.

Truly, one should never underestimate Saiyuri Uchiha, daughter of Sakura.

Tsunade howled in victory. "Pay up chumps!"

From the observation deck above, Sakura and Hinata watched the events with a mix of amusement and indignation.

"I can't believe they thought we wouldn't know about this," Hinata mused, smiling at the sight of Naruto holding Minato's hands and practice walking.

"Should we tell them that Sayuri's been walking for a week now?" Sakura asked. "Or that Shouhei and Minato followed two minutes after her?"

Hinata chuckled. "Let's not spoil that for them. I don't think the guys will like knowing they missed all of their first steps during their mission."

Sakura nodded. "Fair enough. They're still in trouble though."

"Oh of course."

"How're you going to make him pay?"

"I haven't decided yet. I don't want to be too harsh with him. Naruto's been away more than I thought he would, and he misses Minato so much. Even though I asked him not to compete with Sasuke, he just can't help himself. He loves competition."

Sakura chuckled. "I hear you. I know Sasuke thrives on it just as much. How about this, instead of punishment, how about we just give them a healthy dose of fear?"

"How?"

Sakura placed her finger on two switches. "Just look angry."

The commotion below was still in full swing, when the lights suddenly dimmed in the arena, and increased in the observation deck. All eyes looked up before widening.

Naruto and Sasuke gulped as they looked into the face of their angry wives.

"It was nice knowing you Teme," Naruto whispered before looking down at Minato. "Son, I'm afraid I won't live to see you grow up. Be brave, and remember that Ramen is life."

Sasuke sighed, yet he couldn't help but smirk. He looked over at his baby daughter with pride. Was this competition worth Sakura's wrath?

Yes, it was.

* * *

 **Authors Note: I live! I hope you enjoyed this little slice of CIA tomfoolery. Sorry it took so long. Next chapter will be more SasuSaku central, as Mikoto is determined to give them their alone time (teehee). Shout out to all those who have reviewed and PM'd. I don't know how much long this fluff sequel will go, but at least one more chapter.**


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